Wireless backhaul networks are deployed to carry the traffic between a wireless access network and the core network. For example, a wireless backhaul network may comprise a plurality of hubs, each connected to the wired core network, via Ethernet. Each hub serves multiple remote backhaul modules (RBMs), in a point-to-multipoint (PtMP) or point-to-point (PtP) configuration, using a wireless channel. Each RBM is deployed close to an access network base station, such as a small cell base station, and connected to the base station via a cable. The hubs are deployed at the locations where wired high capacity access to the core network is available, e.g. at a fiber point-of-presence.
Network planning in wireless backhaul networks is important for operators to effectively plan, scale and optimize operation of their wireless backhaul network and, in most cases, to complement operation of their wireless access networks. For example, given potential hub sites and RBM sites, it must be determined where to deploy hubs, how many hubs are to be deployed, and where those hubs should point to.
Network planning includes, e.g., prediction of pathloss for each link of the network, foreign interference detection, backhaul network deployment algorithm design, and small cell optimization. Terrain pathloss (PL) prediction usually required detailed knowledge of the terrain, including high resolution digital maps with topographical details, and information about buildings and other “clutter”, such as, trees and bridges, that may block or interfere with line-of-sight (LOS) communications. In urban areas, information on buildings and other structures must be obtained, e.g. from building polygons.
Commercially available RF planning tools are generally slow in nature, require significant data inputs, and do not provide real-time performance results. There is a need for systems and methods that can predict terrain pathloss (PL) for fixed backhaul networks, pre-deployment, and given limited sets of inputs, for example, for locations where there are no available high-resolution digital maps, no available building polygons, et al.
There is also a need for systems and methods that can more effectively predict foreign interference. Typically each network operator performs network planning independently of operators of neighboring networks, i.e. other backhaul networks and/or access networks. Accordingly, there is also a need for deployment algorithms to consider foreign interference, and/or that enable operators to optimize performance relative to neighboring networks.
The end user quality of experience (QoE) is a function of both backhaul link performance and access link performance. Thus, there is a need for network planning systems and methods that consider performance of both backhaul network small cells (SC) and access link performance, so as to optimize end-to-end throughput and performance of each end-to-end link in the network.
An object of the present invention is to provide an improved or alternative method and system for network planning wireless backhaul networks, and particularly for wireless backhaul networks comprising fixed or stationary nodes with directional antennas, including small cell non-line-of-sight (NLOS) backhaul networks.